Anecdotal Evidence
Key Stage 3
Meaning
Anecdotal Evidence is a type of non-scientific evidence that relies on someones personal experience which cannot be repeated or reproduced so no one can double check if it's true.
Meaning
- Anecdotal evidence is not trusted by scientists because it is possible that people may be:
- Mistaken - People don't always correctly understand what they have experienced.
- Dishonest - Some people may not tell the truth about what they have experienced.
- Hallucinating - Human experiences are not always real including dreams and hallucinations that may be mistaken for real events.
- Suggestible - Humans can be tricked into believing they have experienced something when they have not. Many experiments have shown that memory is not perfect and that false memories can be implanted into a persons mind.
- Witness statements in a court of law are anecdotal evidence.
Key Stage 4
Meaning
Anecdotal Evidence is a type of non-scientific evidence that relies on someones personal experience which cannot be repeated or reproduced so no one can double check if it's true.
Meaning
- Anecdotal evidence is not trusted by scientists because it is possible that people may be:
- Mistaken - People don't always correctly understand what they have experienced.
- Dishonest - Some people may not tell the truth about what they have experienced.
- Hallucinating - Human experiences are not always real including dreams and hallucinations that may be mistaken for real events.
- Suggestible - Humans can be tricked into believing they have experienced something when they have not. Many experiments have shown that memory is not perfect and that false memories can be implanted into a persons mind.
- Witness statements in a court of law are anecdotal evidence.